Why this mom chose to breastfeed one twin and bottle feed the other

By Emma Dunn via SWNS

This mom chose to breastfeed one of her twin babies and bottle feed the other.

Courtney Kleinebreil, 27, was delighted when her twins, Sutton and Brooks, arrived on 15th November 2019 via a c-section at Mercy Hospital Northwest, Arkansas, and she was able to breastfeed them both.

Sutton was born weighing 6lbs 1oz and Brooks was born weighing 6lbs exactly, but, after a couple of weeks, Sutton wasn't gaining enough weight.

After she continued to measure low, doctors advised Courtney to start bottle feeding her - so she could measure exactly how much milk Sutton was consuming.

Courtney, who is also m0m to Taydum, age four, carried on breastfeeding Brooks but Sutton refused to latch after she got used to the bottle.

She continued to nurse Brooks until he was nearly two and hasn’t noticed a difference in her twins.

Courtney, a part-time hair stylist, said: “People always think I must have a favorite but it felt right to carry on breastfeeding Brooks.

“I started breastfeeding both of them but I had to use a bottle with Sutton as she needed to grow a bit more.

“Then she just didn’t want to go back to nursing.

“I felt a bit sad when I couldn’t breastfeed Sutton anymore but I couldn’t force it.

“Now they have both been hitting their milestones and I can’t see a difference in bottle feeding Sutton compared to breastfeeding Brooks.

“As soon as she had the bottle that was it, she wasn’t coming back to me."

She added: “You don’t have to validate parenting, it’s what works for you."

“I think it is unusual with twins to then keep breastfeeding one, but I found out Brooks had a milk allergy.

“So I became dairy free and kept nursing him until he was nearly two.”

Now the twin are nearly two she hasn't noticed a difference in their milestones.

“They’re both hitting all their milestones,” she said.

“Sutton is the boss - she is so sassy but she’s very affectionate.

“Brooks is very funny but quieter.”

Courtney raises all her children by gentle parenting - which promotes a relationship with children based on willingness and choices rather than demands and rules.

“I treat them as I would like to be treated,” Courtney said.

“Breastfeeding is amazing if you can do it but there shouldn’t be this guilt.”